


Red

by MudkipBrony



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Western, Anthology, Bounty Hunters, Cameos, Country & Western, Established Relationship, F/M, Historical References, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Period-Typical Racism, Period-Typical Sexism, Personas are horses, Racist Language, Western
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:21:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28755066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MudkipBrony/pseuds/MudkipBrony
Summary: "Remember when you first found Johanna?""Yes, Ryuji. I remember.""And that time you beat up one of the McNishs?""He deserved it! Well, what about the time Kidd threw you off?""Don't remind me...""I'm pretty sure you still have a fly buzzing around in that thick skull of yours.""It was one time!"Ryuji and Makoto's time as Phantom Theives had long reached its end. Years pass and even though they try to have normal civilian lives, they can never escape their outlaw days. And fellow gunslingers cross their paths time and time again, bringing the wild west with them.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakura Futaba, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Niijima Makoto/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. Seven Months

January

1897

Seven months. It had only been seven months since she joined the Phantom Thieves. During those seven months Ryuji had felt things he'd never thought existed... or thought he would ever feel again. This was their last _last_ job, or that's what Ren keeps saying. A part of him wished that this wasn't the end, that this wasn't the last job. But the look in Ren's eye solidified it. This was the last time.

But this was also a first time for Ryuji. Sure, he robbed trains before, but they were usually full of money for the military or goods by big companies. This train had a different type of cargo, people. Normal people on their way to wherever the next stop was. Normal people who had no idea they were sitting with a man who could change everything, Dr. Maruki. When Futaba told them that he would be on a normal train with little protection, everyone was suspicious. But it was the only chance they had, everything was already going sideways back home, and they couldn't risk the spread of what Dr. Maruki was doing. Still, someone could get hurt. Someone was _going_ to get hurt.

"Ryuji, can you set up the detonator?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure!" Snapped out of his thoughts the boy grabbed the copper wire and started to unspool it, leading it towards the detonator. As he was unspooling the wire, Ryuji glanced at Makoto shoving dynamite into a snug spot between the beams holding up the train tracks. He could stare at her for hours- _detonator first, Makoto second,_ he told himself.

Going around a large rock and finding the detonator Ryuji cut the wire with his hunting knife and connected it to the box. Hell, he even double checked it to make sure he did it right, he wasn't going to have a repeat of last time. The Phantom Thief looked towards a bridge that was a couple yards away and saw the rest of the thieves on their horses, ready to go. Well, almost the rest of the thieves. Looking up north and atop a cliff he could only see a horse-shaped speck in the distance, Yusuke and Futaba, on the lookout for any interirence.

Ryuji wondered what would happen to those two after all of this. What would happen to _all_ of them after this. He remembered what Ren said, what to do if things went south, but that didn't stop him from worrying. Even if things succeeded there was no way in hell any of them could go back to having normal lives, right? Like, Akechi (that bastard) is a known murderer now. Haru is now the owner of a company, which is just... could women even own things? Ren was still a wanted criminal and- the list just went on. He was worried about Futaba and Yusuke especially; they were a couple of weirdos, but they were still his friends. What would happen to them? If all things went to plan then hopefully nothing, everyone would get to go back home-

"Did you connect the wire?"

 _Oh eff, Makoto._ "Yeah."

She gave him a look Ryuji knew all too well. "Did you-"

He cut her off before she could finish. "I set it up right this time, just like you taught me."

Ryuji remembers that day, he was getting scolded by Ann for not setting the detonator right. So, Makoto brought him out to an empty field and showed him how to connect the wire correctly. It was weird, he wasn't used to anyone but Ren using a knife. It was even more weird when she gave him the knife to keep. He never thought his first gift from her would be a knife, but it's now one of his favorite things.

Makoto took out her pocket watch and checked the time. "The train should be here soon."

"Shit, really?"

"You kept starting into the distance for a good twenty minutes," Makoto explained.

"For real?" _Shit, the train's coming in five minutes!_

"Yes, Ryuji." Makoto slipped her mask onto her face. "Get ready."

The thief took his mask out of his bag and stared at it. A simple skull mask be bought off a second-hand shop in the outskirts of New Beaudoux. This mask was his life, his career, his trademark. How much longer would it stay that way? He put on the mask and lowered himself, hands on the detonator, ready to go. He looked up at Makoto, peeking over the rock to eye the train. Even from that angle, Ryuji thought she was beautiful. The two of them haven't been dating for very long, but if anything happened to Makoto, Ryuji wouldn't know what to do. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, whether that be seven more months, seven years or seven decades.

Then he felt it. Both of them felt it. The rumble of the train coming around the bend, the sound of its mighty engine, the puffy black smoke trailing behind. This was the train. Ryuji looked back up at Makoto, she had her revolver in one hand and the other was held up, telling him to wait. It was now that Ryuji realized something, something he never got to say to her. And if shit went sideways today, he at least wanted her to know it.

"Makoto, I-"

"Ryuji, now!"


	2. Seven Years

June

1904

_**Meow** _

All she wanted to do was sleep. No gunfights, no camping out in the woods, no hunting deer or chasing trout.

_**Mrow** _

She was finally in her own home, sleeping in her own bed with her boyfriend by her side.

_**MEO-** _

"Shut up you stupid cat!"

_And there he goes._

Makoto lazily smacked her boyfriend. "Leave Morgana alone."

"Why do we have to take care of that dumb cat?"

_**Meow** _

"If I ever see Ren again, I'll give Morgana back," Makoto answered.

_**MeEEEEwr** _

There was a grunt and a soft _flop_ and Ryuji shouting, "Go annoy someone else!"

"Shhh, Ryuji-"

Makoto opened one of her eyes and saw a pillow on the floor and very pissed off Morgana staring at them from their window. Morgana was her last connection to Ren, something to remember him by. Although... she picked the most annoying aspect of Ren's past.

"Get outta here cat!"

Morgana let out a _**hisssss**_ and jumped out the open window. "He better not come back this time!" Ryuji shouted at the window.

"He'll come back," Makoto reminded him, "he always does."

Ryuji was silent for a moment. "Yeah, I know."

Makoto knew there was no way she would be able to fall asleep after all that. With a grunt the former Phantom Thief sat up and stretched, making sure not to smack Ryuji in the face via outstretched limb. "Don't you have work today?"

"Don't remind me-"

"Ryuji."

"What! I can miss one day- ow! What was that for?"

Gripping the pillow tighter Makoto gave it another wack, this time hitting Ryuji's bare back. "You are _not_ missing work! We finally turned our lives around and I intend on staying on the right side of the law."

"What does that have to do with-"

"Go to work!"

* * *

The rays of the morning sun gave everything in the city an orange hue. Despite it being so early in the morning people were already in the streets, men going to work, horses pulling carriages, and the stray man hungover from the night before. Makoto tried to shield her eyes from sun while she rode Anat down to the port, one hand blocking the sun while the other gripped the mare's reins.

Ryuji was sitting behind his girlfriend, nibbling on a pastry-like food. "Mmm, these are good!"

"What are you eating?" Makoto asked then sighed, "what did you grab?"

"I didn't grab anything! I just pulled these out of the saddle bag and they're pretty good!" He explained, taking another bite out of the pastry-like object.

 _Saddle bag? What could he have pulled out of-_ "Ryuji. What are you eating?" She repeated.

He held the food up, like if it touched the sunlight all would be revealed. "I dunno. They're biscuits I think?"

"Ryuji, those are oatcakes."

"Well, they're good!" he beamed and ate another oatcake.

Gently gripping the reins Anat slowed to a stop, and Makoto peered over her shoulder to see a confused Ryuji, mouth full of oatcakes. "Those are for Anat," was all she said.

The man froze mid-chew and looked like a rabbit caught in a trap. Makoto simply chuckled and gently flicked the reins and Anat began moving once again, the soft chewing of oatcakes filling her ears. The sounds of the sea slowly getting louder like an everlasting crescendo.

Quickly sliding off Anat, Ryuji walked alongside the horse. Looking up at Makoto only brought back memories from seven years ago. "I'ma walk the rest of the way. Go home and sleep."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you at home!" He grinned and ran off ahead, following some other men that looked like sailors.

Makoto watched him run off, and how the other sailors greeted him as they all went down to work. Once he was seemingly enveloped by the sun Makoto got Anat to do a quick U-Turn and trotted back the way they came. Makoto wasn't sure what she was going to do today, all she wanted to do was stay by Ryuji's side, even if it were a few seconds more.

 _Maybe I shouldn't have gotten him up so fast..._ "Come on Anat, this way."

The horse turned into an alley and they continued onwards, the people dwelling there getting out of the equine's way. _I should buy more oatcakes, then I can see if there are any new-_

"Makoto Niijima."

She never gripped the reins so hard in her life, causing Anat to stop dead in her tracks. The alley was small, and there was only two ways out, backwards and risk getting hit by another horse rider, or forwards and get closer to the man calling her name. A shirtless man with a tattered red cape, and as he took a step closer his spurs clattered against a stay pebble. "Makoto Niijima," he repeated.

If he got any closer Makoto might just have to get off her horse and run. "Agent Sanada," she answered, "please get out of my way."

He held up his hands and pushed his hood back, revealing a face she wished she didn't know as well as she did. "Relax, I'm not going to arrest you."

"Can you please move? I have-"

"This will be quick," he interrupted, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your most recent bounty. We've been looking for that bastard for months, how did you find him so fast?"

Makoto sat up straighter on the saddle. "A bounty huntress never reveals her tricks. May I pass, I have errands to run."

Agent Sanada chuckled, flipped his hood back up, and stepped out of the way. "Of course. But you know the drill, stay on the right side of the law and all of that." Anat moved forward, almost out of the alley when he placed a gentle hand on the thoroughbreds' neck. "Remember, we're always watching you."

Never had Anat galloped so fast.


	3. Handsome Sailors... and Ryuji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to add some tags for this chapter (and maybe future ones), I just want to emphasize that from here on out the year is 1904. Unless stated otherwise, it's 1904. Just keep that in mind for some topics, dialogue, or even characters that will enviably show up. As much as I want to make this all cute Ryukoto moments I do have to remember, this is a western (or post-western) and I must do my best to portray it accurately. And while what is in this chapter may not be so bad, this is just a warning on what may come later down the line. Again, keep the year and time period in mind going forwards.
> 
> Thank you.

"Come on Sakamoto, lift! You're too young to have lumbago!"

 _I'm lifting the crate you ass!_ Ryuji was half-tempted to throw the stupid crate on the ground at the man. If anything, he wanted to say something witty like Ren would have done... but he was no Ren. So much to his chagrin, Ryuji held the crate closer to his chest and unloaded it off the boat with the others. Placing the heavy crate down on the dock Ryuji turned and went back onto the boat and did it all over again. This was his life now, loading and unloading crate upon crate of goods from other states or overseas.

Lifting another crate and beginning to carry it off the boat Ryuji saw that same man from before haggling another worker. " ~~ **What are you doing? Get back to work**~~ ** ~~!~~** "

 _Weird, that's not English._ Granted Ryuji didn't speak the English very well, but whatever that guy was saying to his co-worker wasn't it.

" ** ~~I'm sorry, I didn't-~~** "

" ** ~~Excuses! You Italians are all the same! Dirty thieves, all of you!~~** "

"Hey!" Ryuji shouted, causing the two to look at him. He put down his crate and went up the guy haggling the worker.

"Get back to work Sakamoto," he warned, switching back to Japanese, "the kid needs to be taught a lesson!"

The worker tried to intervene, " ** ~~I'm sorry it won't happen again, let me get back to work-~~** "

" ** ~~Shut up!~~** " The man snapped.

"What did he even do," Ryuji asked, his annoyance seeping into his words.

The man pointed to a crate with a hole where one of the corners was supposed to be. "This rat is stealing goods!"

Pushing his way past the man and getting a closer look at the crate Ryuji noticed something. "How could he have taken anything? The hole is too small!" He wasn't as smart as Makoto but even he knew you wouldn't be able to fit anything through that tiny hole.

"Yes, it did!" The man insisted.

 _Screw you!_ "What's even in these crates that's worth stealing?"

"Mangos."

There was a pause, and Ryuji's anger only continued to build. "Mangos? It was probably a rat!"

The man scowled, "Yeah this kid!"

"No, you a-" Just as he spoke a black rat with a white dot on its head wiggled out of the hole with a piece of mango. The three were quiet as they watched the rat get off the boat and escaping with some product. Ryuji, feeling a bit smug, turned back to the man. "I told you it was a rat," he said.

Embarrassed the man walked up to Ryuji and looked down at him. "I convinced my old man to hire you, I could get him to fire you just as fast, Sakamoto," he warned and then walked off to another part of the boat.

 _Shit. I can't worry 'bout that right now._ Giving the kid a brief pat on the shoulder Ryuji went back to his crate and began to lift. _When did it get lighter?_ He looked up and saw that same kid helping him lift the crate. "You don't have to do that," he told the kid.

" ** ~~Let me help.~~** "

"I can't understand you."

" ** ~~What?~~** "

"I said I- what's the point you don't know what I'm saying," he groaned, "come on."

* * *

The kid wouldn't leave Ryuji alone all day. Even during his lunch break the kid sat next to Ryuji and ate what he assumed was some sort of foreign meat. But the kid seemed friendly enough, although it was a bit annoying that he chose to help Ryuji work all day. At one point during the workday Ryuji saw that same black rat with the dot scurry back onto the ship and into that same crate with the hole. "Rats," he said to the kid, gesturing with a nod to the contaminated crate.

The kid looked at the crate and moved towards it. At first Ryuji was confused until he saw the rat come wiggling out of the hole again when the kid snatched it up with his bare hands and threw it over the side of the boat. There was a small splash and some squeaking, and the kid just wiped his hands on his shirt like it was nothing. And all the kid said was, " ** ~~Poor rat.~~** " Which Ryuji didn't know what he said but whatever language he was speaking made it sound awesome.

Still, by the days end Ryuji and his fellow workers managed to unload all the crates. Stomach growling, he was about to leave the port when a hand perched on his shoulder. _I swear if it's that kid again._ Looking over his shoulder it wasn't the same kid from before but a friendly face. "Sakamoto!"

" _Pickett_ ," Ryuji answered, he always felt like he was butchering the man's name.

'Pickett' patted the longshoreman's shoulder, a smile growing on his face. "Why so formal? Call me _Forrest_!"

"I have a hard enough time with English names _Pickett_." It was weird, speaking Japanese and then saying one word in English. Sure, that was Pickett's name, it was still awkward and literally foreign to Ryuji. "What do you want."

"Not even gonna ask nicely? Fine. Me and some of the fellas are headin' to the bar," he explained, "You coming?"

 _Do I have to?_ _Maybe I can eat some of those bar peanuts while I'm there..._ He shrugged and Pickett's hand lifted. "Ok."

The man smiled, showing his crooked teeth. Finally removing his hand, he used it to wave someone over. " ~~ **Alonzo! Come here!**~~ "

Following Pickett's gaze Ryuji saw a growingly familiar boy tan boy walking towards them. He and the boy made eye contact and instantly the boy relaxed. " ~~ **Oh it's just you.**~~ "

Ryuji looked at Pickett who didn't seem to notice the boys now relaxed demeanor. "Sakamoto this is Alonzo," he started then turned to the boy, " ~~ **Alonzo, this is Samakoto, say hello.**~~ "

The tan boy, or Alonzo if Ryuji heard his name right, stood up straight and said, " _Hello._ "

 _Oh what?_ Ryuji cleared his throat, " _Er, h_ _ello._ "

Picket flashed his gross smile. " _Oh good! ~~You both know a little~~ English!_"

_' Oh good! English!' what's that supposed to mean?_

" _ ~~To the~~ bar!_" Pickett cheered.

* * *

The bar was cramped and dirty. There were bullet holes in the walls and the legs of the tables and chairs had tiny claw marks on them. It smelled like crappy beer, sweat, and cheap perfume. And Ryuji was stuck at the counter with Alonzo by his side.

Gnawing away at those bar peanuts didn't satisfy Ryuji's stomach, it kept growling and growling like a wolf that's been starved. He practically _was_ a wolf that's been starved. But _maybe_ if he ate enough the bartender would kick him out and he would be forced to go home. His beer sat right next to the bowl of peanuts, long since empty and only good for shooting practice. While Alonzo, despite being attached to Ryuji by the hip, has barely spoken a word since the longshoremen arrived. His beer was open, but Ryuji had not seen the boy take one sip of it. It was almost a waste, that refreshing cold drink now reduced to a room temperature bottle of sadness.

The boy looked up at his co-worker and the two locked eyes. _Shit, what was the work for 'drink' again?_ " _Beer,_ " Ryuji tried to say in English.

" ~~ **What?**~~ "

 _Kid I can't understand you,_ he mentally groaned. Grabbing Alonzo's (warm) beer, Ryuji held it out to him. " _Beer,_ " he repeated.

Alonzo grabbed it, held it for a moment, before taking a sip. Immediately he slammed the glass bottle onto the counter and started coughing. Ryuji patted Alonzo's back, _can't handle his liquor huh?_

" _Ugh._ "

 _Huh?_ He looked up to see the bartender giving the pair some side-eye. " _What?_ "

The bartender shrugged. " _Nothing._ "

When Alonzo stopped coughing, Ryuji slid the beer as far away as he could from his co-worker. _What kind of guy can't hold his beer?_ Ryuji thought. He glanced around the shitty bar for Pickett, but the man was nowhere to be found. _I could just leave, no one would know._ Taking another quick glance around the bar, Ryuji got up only to be plopped down again by a forceful hand. "What gives?"

"Sakamoto!"

 _This effing guy..._ Ryuji didn't know this man by name, but he has worked with him long enough to know he was a piece of shit. It was always something with this guy, going to work hungover, dropping cargo on his foot, getting into fights with co-workers' over dumb shit. How this guy knew Japanese, Ryuji didn't know. But whenever he spoke, Ryuji knew something garbage was going to come out of that trash pit of a mouth. "What," was all he said.

"Lighten up Sakamoto!" The guy said, already drunk with whiskey in his hand, "lookin' after our little brother?"

"Little brother?"

He moved his hand from Ryuji's shoulder and onto Alonzo's, leaving a big ass stain on his shirt. "Little brother! Youngest man on the dock! Seventeen, you know!"

 _Seventeen? Shit no wonder he choked._ "I didn't."

The piece of shit with legs shook the teen with such vigor, Alonzo's head almost slammed into the counter. "Gotta get him laid. Become a real man! Some fine ladies came in, Sakamoto, you should join us!"

"No, I'm good," Ryuji said quickly, "really."

"Come on Sakamoto!" The guy put his other arm around Ryuji, spilling some of his whiskey on him. "I don't understand why you... _wait_ for that bitch you have."

Abruptly standing up Ryuji shoved his co-worker back. "What was that!"

People were beginning to stare. But the co-worker acted like he wasn't even pushed. "I mean it! You'll see Sakamoto, once she gets older, you'll be cheating on her all the time! Younger women are so easy! Flex a muscle and they're all over you!"

"Why don't you-" Pausing, although brief, Ryuji saw Pickett behind his co-worker, frantically shaking his head. "Why don't you mind your own damn business!"

"Make me Sakamoto!"

 _Damn it, sorry Makoto._ Ryuji prepared himself for a fight, he could already hear the drunken calls for a fight. " _Hey_!" The bartender shouted over the patrons, " _no ~~rumbles in my~~ bar! ~~Take it~~ outside ~~you~~ drunks!_"

 _The hell did he say?_ Whatever the bartender said got Ryuji's shitty co-worker to back down and leave, with Pickett flashing Ryuji a smile before going off after him. With a grunt Ryuji sat back down at the counter and gnawed on some more peanuts. But the uneasy silence didn't last long before the other patrons continued their conversations, but the peace didn't.

Not even five minutes had passed before Ryuji became the center of more attention. Well, not Ryuji, but the kid (who Ryuji can now say is an actual kid) that hung around him. At first Ryuji didn't even notice, too busy fuming from that almost fight and his extreme hunger. Until he heard a soft, almost inaudible voice next to him, " _No thank you._ "

With a groan, Ryuji looked to his left and saw Alonzo staring at the countertop while an older woman ran her hand along his back. She kept droning on and on, speaking English the entire time. He only caught five percent, it that, of what she was going off about, but whatever it was she was making Alonzo uncomfortable. The kid looked terrified, and Ryuji couldn't blame him. If he were still seventeen Ryuji wouldn't even bother flirting back, hell the woman's hair was turning grey, and her hand was all wrinkled.

 _What is it with this kid?_ Without thinking Ryuji blurted out, _" Whore._"

The two stared at Ryuji like he had a second head. The woman began shouting at Ryuji, and Alonzo was chuckling, but no sound came out of his mouth. The bartender gave Ryuji a look that read, _you have five seconds to get out._

Grabbing a handful of peanuts Ryuji stood up and walked out the door. A few seconds later Alonzo was there by Ryuji's side. Before Alonzo could say anything, Ryuji pointed up the street. " _Home._ "

The teen nodded and picked up his pace turning only once to say, " _Thank you._ " Before running off.

Tired, hungry, and a little calmer than he was before, Ryuji turned and began his walk home- "Crap."

"Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Taking a step back Ryuji saw who he bumped into. A man in a red cloak and a giant scar across his chest, though is face was hidden thanks to the hood. "Sorry," was all Ryuji said, gripping his peanuts tighter and turning the corner to going home. The man watched Ryuji turn the corner, smirked, and began to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we will be seeing more of Alonzo.


End file.
